By Matthew Rocco
In New Jersey’s third district, the race for a congressional seat has attracted greater attention ahead of Tuesday’s elections. Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele directed his “Fire Pelosi” bus tour into Toms River on Thursday to support former football player Jon Runyan, the Republican challenger to incumbent Democrat John Adler.
Republicans have zeroed in on New Jersey congressional races, identifying them as potential gains in the House. On Wednesday, Steele supported Republican Anna Little who is challenging Democrat Frank Pallone in the sixth district.
The bus tour has traveled around the country over the last six weeks. The “Fire Pelosi” slogan refers to the potential unseating of Nancy Pelosi as House Speaker if Republicans take a majority in the House.
Thursday’s rally for Runyan at the Toms River Holiday Inn focused on the heated third district race, a contest that has had its share of controversy.
Cherry Hill’s Courier Post reported earlier this month that people connected to the Adler campaign, including campaign manager Geoff Mackler, recruited a third party candidate, Peter DeStefano, in an attempt to split votes. DeStefano will be on the ballot Tuesday, and listed as a member of the “New Jersey Tea Party,” although no tea party groups in the area have affirmed his candidacy.
Adler has criticized Runyan for paying less in property taxes by registering 15 acres of land that surround his Mount Laurel home as farmland. Runyan sells firewood, and has donkeys grazing the land.
Both campaigns did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Runyan had a five point lead in the latest Monmouth University poll. A Rutgers-Eagleton poll size had Adler leading by one point.
In the Holiday Inn’s Atlantis Ballroom, the enthusiastic crowd hung on Steele’s every word as he identified New Jersey as the start of the conservative momentum. Last year, New Jersey voters elected a Republican governor, Christopher Christie.
As he entered the room, Steele recalled the slogan that is on the red tour bus, asking voters if they were ready to “fire Nancy Pelosi” and “fire Harry Reid.”
The bus, emblazoned with white stars and the RNC logo, will head south to complete its tour of 48 states this weekend.
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